CNN: Firefighting gear stockpile unused

[MH1]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/09/03/katrina.unusedgear/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nine stockpiles of fire-and-rescue equipment strategically placed around the country to be used in the event of a catastrophe still have not been pressed into service in New Orleans, five days after Hurricane Katrina, CNN has learned.

Responding to a CNN inquiry, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc Short said Friday the gear has not been moved because none of the governors in the hurricane-ravaged area has requested it.

A federal official said the department's Office for Domestic Preparedness reminded the Louisiana and Mississippi governors' offices about the stockpiles on Wednesday and Thursday, but neither governor had requested it. (See the mayor blister feds for requiring formal queries for help -- 0:34)

The gear -- including generators, radios, breathing apparatus, cots and other items -- is stockpiled by DHS in nine locations. The three closest to New Orleans are College Station, Texas; Columbia, S.C.; and Clearwater, Fla. The gear is intended to replenish or sustain up to 150 first responders.
....

[UpInArms]

1. disabling disaster response by bureaucratic red tape is not an excuse

and it is not reasonable in a case of a catastrophe of this magnitude.

These morons should be jailed for allowing the deaths of anyone that has gone to a "shelter" site for evacuation.

:nuke:

[MH1]

13. Yes. The incompetence is stunning.

The article seems to be blaming the governors for not asking for it, but come on, that's total bullshit. FEMA should have the competence for handling a disaster on this scale, and they should be calling the shots.

Of course now we know that FEMA has been gutted of competence during the * administration, for the sake of political appointments.

[JoFerret]

2. Let's face it - they were not prepared

So many questions:
In the words of today's NYTimes editorial "...the devastation catapults daily, in heartbreaking contrast with the slo-mo bumblings of government...

...America will have to confront the fact that it is stuck with leaders who neither know, nor care, how to lead. "

[etherealtruth]

3. this is the most feeble and incompetent attempt ...

... to respond to a disaster I have ever heard tell of. It seems that corrupt and /or developing nations are far more capable than "we" are.

Regular citizens, from all over the country, were better informed and better organized in getting help to the victims ...

FEMA and the rest of the federal government 're" victimized the victims.

[scarletlib]

4. so, do the governors even know this stuff is there?

this whole 'we are waiting for a request' thing is just bullshit.

[Rose Siding]

16. The feds should have rushed in with a freakin' MENU of what's available

Do they really want the governors to all develop completely independent disaster strategies without any direction or standard of aid from the feds?

Aha! we've finally run into the repubs reincarnation of the discarded theory of 'state's rights'

[ChairmanAgnostic]

17. for shame!

Don't you know that the governor first has to ask if there is anyone there able to answer questions? this typically takes about 4 phone calls and about 6 hours on hold. Voice mail alone will take 23 separate entries. then, the governor must ask for someone there who is in charge. If you don't reach someone who actually is in charge, you have to start again at step one. Once that has been established, the governor must ask if there is anyone who is in charge who has actual authority to repond to questions from state leaders. The governor must then sit on hold and wait for an answer. Think INS lines in Chicago.

Once it is established that a person of authority is on the phone and that the identity of the state governor has been adequately established (the to federal authority's satisfaction) only then can the governor ask for help.
But before they ask for it, they have to specifically ask for Form 39-G-011.3.1.2(c) 2001 Ver.2.1 which authorizes the federal individual to respond to questions about assets that might be available. Once that is filled out in triplicate, returned (notarized) with a self-addressed, stamped envelope, only then is the federal representative tasked with the authority to review what assets exist, and if time allows, to provide a substantive yes or no to the governor's question.

Only then is the governor allowed to ask what assets are available.

[scarletlib]

19. Brilliant!

[rodeodance]

5. there are fires in LA right now. msnbc showed them.

[rodeodance]

6. see this thread about FEMA and a state offering fireplanes.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4602448&mesg_id=4603363

[rodeodance]

8. " First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane" (earlier DU

post)

First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities


Release Date: August 29, 2005

WASHINGTON D.C. -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), today urged all fire and emergency services departments not to respond to counties and states affected by Hurricane Katrina without being requested and lawfully dispatched by state and local authorities under mutual aid agreements and the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

“The response to Hurricane Katrina must be well coordinated between federal, state and local officials to most effectively protect life and property,” Brown said. “We appreciate the willingness and generosity of our Nation’s first responders to deploy during disasters. But such efforts must be coordinated so that fire-rescue efforts are the most effective possible.”

The U.S. Fire Administration, part of FEMA, asks that fire and emergency services organizations remain in contact with their local and state emergency management agency officials for updates on requirements in the affected areas.

“It is critical that fire and emergency departments across the country remain in their jurisdictions until such time as the affected states request assistance,” said U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison. “State and local mutual aid agreements are in place as is the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and those mechanisms will be used to request and task resources needed in the affected areas.”

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=18470

[rodeodance]

10. msnbc said nothing about some states offering their fireplanes to LA

[rodeodance]

11. kick

[Kingofalldems]

7. So they are saying 'We have secret supplies here but

you can't have them unless you specifically request them' This is unbelievable.

[rodeodance]

15. the gov is so big that nobody seems to know which drawer the

request forms are filed in.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. I seem to recall the LA gov asking for all help possible

I guess that doesn't count for anything. Not in our OHS and FEMA world.

[Lindsay]

9. George really outdid himself in finding

political hacks to lead DHS and FEMA.

He never wanted DHS and obviously thought FEMA was a waste of taxpayer money that could be lining the pockets of his cronies.

Guess he showed us how much DHS is worth, huh? :sarcasm:

[rodeodance]

12. recommended

[JoFerret]

14. Yes. Worth remembering both those facts

DHS - Bushie kicking and screaming and dragged into it.
FEMA - always underfunded and undermined by ReThugs and BushCo.

[SharonAnn]

20. Remember in his initial tax cut plan about the $1 trillion in savings

that he would use to fund the tax cuts? Am I the only one who remembers this stuff?

Over a ten year horizon, his plan was something like this - One of the things was that he was going to combine FEMA with a couple of other things and instead of the $3 trillion those things were budgeted for, he would combine them and consolidate them all into $1 trillion budget. Do the math! You can't do the same things for $1 trillion that you can do for $3 trillion.

He talked about this, or at least part of it, during the debates in 2000. Al Gore said you can't count the same dollars several different ways and pretend it's several different dollars.